In voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, such as Internet protocol (IP) Multimedia sub-system (IMS) based VoIP systems, a user device (e.g., a VoIP phone, a VoIP analog telephone adapter, etc.) needs to have a valid registration to access VoIP services. During each registration, the user device negotiates with a registrar for a registration expiration window (i.e., how long the user device can wait to re-register without loosing access to services). Subsequently, the user device re-registers based upon, for example, a timer that lapses before the registration expiration window closes. Today, if a failure causes, for example, the registrar to fail during this window, the user device may not be aware of the failure until the user device attempts to re-register and/or to access a VoIP service (e.g., to make a phone call, retrieve voicemail, etc.). Once the user device is aware of the loss of its registration, the user device must first re-register with a different registrar (i.e., a replacement registrar) before VoIP services can be resumed to the device. During such times, the VoIP device is also incapable of receiving incoming VoIP services (e.g., receiving a phone call), unbeknownst to the user of the user device.